Developers score with 'Station 300' groundbreaking

Developers rolled out details for a new Bluffton family entertainment center with a high-tech bowling alley at its heart Wednesday morning during a groundbreaking ceremony at Buckwalter Place.

They also unveiled the center’s name. It’s Station 300 Bluffton – the perfect bowling score figure married to a railroad train station theme.

A January opening is targeted.

“This project is designed to have something exciting, fun and delicious for everyone,” Station 300 President Gary Trimm of Hilton Head Island said, in a speech.

“We plan to offer the ultimate bowling, dining, lounge and gaming experience that will serve as the entertainment hub for the region.”

Future plans include making it a model for expansion throughout the Southeast, with Bluffton as corporate headquarters.

Plans for the $7 million complex, including 24 lanes of bowling, were announced on Jan. 11 by Joe Fraser, president of Fraser Construction of Bluffton, the design-build contractor, at a Bluffton Town Council meeting.

The 4.2-acre site at 25 Innovation Drive is in the 94-acre Buckwalter Place development near the north intersection of Buckwalter and Bluffton parkways.

“Let me say this will not be your father’s bowling center,” Trimm said.

The only smoke will be from special effects.

“A vast array of special effect lighting will allow us to create special environments for holidays and other special occasions. Imagine waves of spiders running across the lanes for Halloween. Late in the evening or at any chosen time we can go to black lights and lanes, balls, pins glow in what is known as ‘Cosmic Bowling,’” Trimm said.

Construction site work started May 25, said Tom Shanahan, Fraser Construction project superintendent.

“We expect to be wrapping up sometime in the month of December, so they can start using it in January,” he said.

Shanahan estimated the construction will take the work of 125 people, over different times. Fraser Project Manager David Pettigrew added that doesn’t count those selling products for the job.

Station 300 will be open every day of the year, with projected hours of 8 a.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday, and 10 a.m. to probably 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, he said.

Financing is from TD Bank, developers said.

Trimm’s speech and unveiling of the Station 300 name by Vice President Gary Brust of Atlanta followed opening remarks by Buckwalter Place developer Matt Green and addresses by Beaufort County Council Chairman Weston Newton and Mayor Lisa Sulka.

“Today is a very exciting day for Buckwalter Place,” said Green, noting Station 30 will commence a major component – entertainment – of the “integrated mixed use” development.

“This $7 million entertainment project will begin a large social movement in Buckwalter Place, and our region, with a focus on family fun as well as adding a little much needed night life,” he said.

“Buckwalter Place has been a vision in the making for over eight years now. The first shovel was turned for CareCore National in 2007, followed by Publix and the new Bluffton Law Enforcement Center.”

Green said the concept to create a community gathering place by combining many real estate uses “is no longer a vision and with over $100 million of horizontal and vertical investment, (Buckwalter Place) now has retail, restaurant, entertainment, office, civic, recreational (with our new greenway trail) and plans in place for much more.” Master plan components including housing remain on the horizon.

Newton and Sulka talked about the economic diversification and social components. Newton said related development of software to integrate operations and market it to other entertainment facilities fits local goals for knowledge-based jobs and “smart growth.”

Sulka said, “This is a big deal for Bluffton.”

Along with the jobs Newton spoke of and economic diversification, “this town loves to have a reason to have a party and socialize, so this additional component will just enhance it,” she said.

Go to the new website at http://station300bluffton.com for details about bowling; restaurant, bar and lounge; arcade, and party and meeting facilities - and to sign up to track progress.